12 Amazing Post-Ride Recovery Beers

Summer may be running out, but the heat is still on and epic rides and races are far from over. Whether you're training for 'cross, looking to finishing the crit season with a bang, or just heading out for a few more all-day rides, we've got a beer for when you sit back to relax and recover. We'll be the first to admit there's no proven science (yet) that fermented barley boosts muscle growth or hastens capillary growth, but we strongly believe in the psychological benefits of the occasional post-ride brew.

The famously bike-loving New Belgium Brewing Co., never shied away from hops, the green cone-shaped flowers that make beers bitter. But the brewery finally embraced the American India Pale Ale with Ranger, a beer dedicated to New Belgium's beer rangers that promote the brewery and explore new ones across the country. By using a combination of floral, citrus, and fruity hop varieties, New Belgium created a ripping bitter IPA that's also full-flavored without feeling too thick for summer consumption.

Tasters say: "well-rounded hoppy flavor, I'll have another"

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Full Sail LTD 03 – Hood River, OR

Full Sail Brewing's crisp and pale-gold lager is both a nod to the classic pilsners of Europe and a fresh take on the style. The aroma and flavor both hold spicy and earthy hop notes like you'd enjoy in a glass of Bitburger or Pilsner Urquel, but as this beer rolls down your tongue it takes on the richer, citrus tone of an American pale ale. Below the hops is a layer of smooth biscuit and dry toasted barley flavors, creating a good balance to the hops.

Tasters say: "crisp, clean, and a great session beer"

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Summit Hefeweizen – St.Paul, MN

Few beers styles are more refreshing after a sweaty ride than a classic German Hefeweizen. The pale, yet cloudy, wheat beer can be lightened up with an orange or lemon slice, or you can drink it straight up and bask in Summit Hefeweizen's light and subtle but complex character. The mix of citrus, banana and bread-like wheat flavors taste just as well without a bike ride, but as a recovery bonus, the ample brewer's yeast suspended in the beer (hence the haze) packs an array of B vitamins, which assist muscle growth.

Tasters say: "crisp, refreshing, and citrusy"

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Alaskan Brewing Summer Ale – Juneau, AK

Alaskan's Summer Ale is brewed in the style of a traditional German Kölsch ale, which for centuries has been the perfect accompaniment to the warmer months. The light-bodied, but full-flavor brew has a little of everything with subtle fruit, spicy grapefruit hops and mellow caramel with bread loaf notes. It's a beer for folks who want a rich and tasty drink with easy drinkability of a cold lager.

Tasters say: "the prefect beverage after a long, sweaty ride"

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Goose Island Matilda – Chicago, IL

For decades, Goose Island has mastered American and classic British beers. But over the last few years, the Illinois-based brewery expanded into equally impressive Belgian ales, Matilda is at the heart of this effort. The Belgian pale will delight fans of Fat Tire and the classic Leffe Blond with Matilda's initial sweet caramel and spicy clove character. As the ale develops, bread crust malts roll in with molasses as the beer finishes dry.

Tasters say: "wonderfully spicy and satisfying"

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Cigar City Humidor IPA – Tampa, FL

Usually, barrel and wood-aged beers are perfect sippers for the winter. But Cigar City bucked the trend of treating heavy beers like imperial stouts and barleywines, and instead aged their Jai Alai India Pale Ale (a fantastic beer in its own right) on cigar box cedar. The IPA, which won a gold medal at last year's Great American Beer Fest, takes on a richly spicy and pepper character from the wood. It balances out the citrus hops that normally dominate the beer, making this brew a hit with IPA-lovers and haters alike.

Tasters say: "crushed pepper with berries and a floral aroma"

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Allagash Wit – Portland, ME

This Belgian-style white beer (witbier) is light enough to quench your thirst on the sweatiest days and after the hardest rides, while still maintaining a deeply flavorful and satisfying character. Hailing from the other Portland – Maine, which has it's own craft beer scene – this wheat beer benefits from finely-tuned spicing (orange peel and coriander) and brewers that follow Belgian brewing traditions. The light and spicy character also presents lemon and vanilla notes with the smooth wheat malt to make a wholly delicious brew. If you like Blue Moon, you'll love this beer. Heck, if you have any taste for beer, you'll love this.

Tasters say: "super drinkable, but you could sip it all day"

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Deschutes Hop in the Dark – Bend, OR

This dark and deliciously hoppy beer from Bend, Oregon fits into a new style the Pacific Northwest likes to call Cascadian Dark Ale. A sort of cross between a porter or stout and an India Pale Ale, others consider it a "black IPA," but no matter the name, it's an all-out fantastic beer. It takes the drinkability bitter citrus hops of a pale ale and pairs it with the roasted coffee bean and chocolate flavors of a good dark ale. Who says dark beer is only for the winter? Certainly not us.

Tasters say: "a wonderful new breed of dark beer"

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Firestone Walker Pale Ale – Paso Robles, CA

This award-winning pale ale from California boosts the impressive feat of matching a relatively light body with a rich tongue-tingling flavor profile. At 4.6% ABV, it's more in line with classic and highly-sessionable English Pale Ales. In fact, this brew uses full-flavored British grains to amp up the malt character, but big pine and juicy citrus hop notes make it distinctly American. Anyone who finds normal pales ales and IPA's a bit heavy on hot day need to give Firestone Walker a try.

Tasters say: "hoppy, but refreshing, and great for BBQs"

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Ninkasi Believer Double Red Ale – Eugene, OR

Beer drinkers that enjoy a balanced beer, but not necessarily a light-bodied one, will love the big, in-your-face flavor of Ninkasi's Believer. Named after Ninkasi, the ancient Sumarian goddess of beer, the brewery is dedicated to the pursuit of the finest Northwest-style (hoppy) ales. Believer is the proof that they're doing just that. It pairs a big, smooth bready caramel taste with biting orange peel, grapefruit and pineapple hop flavors. While most "double" beers are overly heavy and filling, this brew has no such problems.

Tasters say: "big, citrus hops, but not over the hop"

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Kona Wailua Wheat Ale – Kailua Kona, HI

Inspired by Maui's 95-foot Wailua Falls, this wheat ale is as refreshing as the name suggests. Brewed with passionfruit, this light and crisp beer is ideal for fruit beer lovers looking for great hot-weather beer that still tastes like beer. Where some fruity brews let the infusion dominate flavor, or worse, make a drink syrupy sweet, the folks at Kona showed their brewing chops by carefully balancing the passion fruit with the sublte wheat and barley.

Tasters say: "a wine-drinker's beer"

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O'Fallon Hemp Hop Rye – O'Fallon, MO

The beauty of American brewers is that they're not beholden to traditional styles like the British, Germans, and Belgians. And in that innovative spirit, Missouri's O'Fallon Brewery released their new Hemp Hop Rye – an amber ale with toasted hemp seeds and malted rye. Combined with a share of American hops, the beer is a smooth and balanced brew with a deep, earthy character. The spice notes of the rye and hemp blend seamlessly into the citrus hops, creating an interesting beer that's easy to drink on a sweaty day, but worth sipping when you have the time.

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